<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (July 23): Funding Societies Malaysia said it has successfully disbursed RM300 million in Islamic business financing to more than 2,500 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since launching its comprehensive suite of Islamic products in June 2023.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a statement on Tuesday, Southeast Asia's largest unified digital finance platform for SMEs said it achieved this through 8,000 Islamic investment notes, underscoring Funding Societies' commitment to empowering MSMEs.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It said with Malaysia’s global leadership in Islamic finance and the Islamic capital markets, offering a wide range of Shariah-compliant solutions alongside conventional structures is essential to narrowing the RM290 billion micro-SME (MSME) financing gap as identified by PwC for Securities Commission Malaysia.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Funding Societies Malaysia country head Chai Kien Poon said that surpassing the RM300 million disbursement mark in just one year and providing access to financing for more than 2,500 MSMEs was well ahead of our targets.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“This underscores the interest and demand for both Islamic financing and investment products. Islamic financing already constitutes 15% of our portfolio, and we aim to increase this to 50% by 2025,” he said.</p></div>


Funding Societies Malaysia said it has successfully disbursed RM300 million in Islamic business financing to more than 2,500 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since launching its comprehensive suite of Islamic products in June 2023.

Funding Societies has disbursed more than RM300 mil in Islamic business financing

China's industrial output growth quickened slightly in November, while retail sales disappointed, keeping pressure on Beijing to ramp up stimulus for a fragile economy as it braces for more US trade tariffs under a second Trump administration.

China's weak consumption drags on economy as Trump tariff threat looms

SEOUL (Dec 16): South Korea’s Constitutional Court will begin on Monday reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec 3 martial law attempt, while investigators said they plan to question him this week.

South Korean court begins review of Yoon impeachment

Grab Holdings Ltd’s ability to cut costs and edge out rivals in Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing arena helped push its share performance above global peers this quarter, with some analysts citing further gains ahead.

Grab stock’s big quarter has some analysts seeing further gains

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): The Malaysia-China Summit 2024 (MCS 2024), set to be held here from Dec 17-19, has secured strong backing from prominent sponsors and partners.

Malaysia-China Summit 2024 gets strong backing from major organisations — Matrade chairman

Germany is reaching a point of no return. Business leaders know it, the people in the country feel it, but politicians haven’t come up with answers.

Germany is unraveling just when Europe needs it most

TopVision Eye Specialist Bhd (KL:TOPVISN) shares staged a strong debut on the ACE Market on Monday, as it looked to raise close to RM18 million from its initial public offering (IPO).

TopVision shares stage strong debut on ACE Market

PUTRAJAYA (Dec 16): Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, attended an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Complex here on Monday.

Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra accorded official welcome at Perdana Putra

Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) has been a cornerstone of healthcare across the globe, offering approaches grounded in centuries of accumulated wisdom. In Malaysia, T&CM is not just a tradition, it is a vibrant, evolving sector deeply woven into the fabric of the country’s m...

My Say: Opportunities for traditional and complementary medicine in Malaysia: inspired by nature, enriched by heritage

Having been in the red for almost a decade, Dataprep Holdings Bhd (KL:DATAPRP) told Bursa Malaysia last Thursday that it had proposed a share capital reduction to wipe off up to RM100 million in accumulated losses.

At the same time, the information and communications technology (ICT) co...

Frankly Speaking: Yet another private placement for Dataprep

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): TNG Digital Sdn Bhd urges users to verify their TNG eWallet accounts for better security, according to its statement on Monday.

TNG Digital urges users to complete acct verification via eKYC tech from Dec 20

<p>YTL Power International Bhd's (KL:YTLPOWR) data centres are well on track, with the second phase of 8MW under Johor Data Centre 1 (JDC1) expected to come online by end-2024, according to MIDF Research.</p>


MIDF Research: YTL Power on track to deliver data centres, with second 8MW under Johor Data Centre 1 to come online by year end

<p>TopVision Eye Specialist Bhd (KL:TOPVISN) shares staged a strong debut on the ACE Market on Monday, as it looked to raise close to RM18 million from its initial public offering (IPO).</p>


<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;Australia’s markets watchdog sued HSBC Bank of Australia Ltd&nbsp;for failing to protect customers who lost millions of dollars in scams.&nbsp;</p>


HSBC sued by Australian regulator for scam loss failures

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Malaysia’s economic reforms, notably the introduction of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2023, and the successful implementation of electricity and diesel subsidy reforms.&nbsp;</p>


IMF credits Malaysia’s economic reforms, calls for further action to strengthen resilience

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16):&nbsp;Asian stocks are set to fall on Monday, ahead of a swath of Chinese data and a vow from the nation’s regulators to stabilise markets. South Korean assets will be closely watched after President Yoon Suk Yeol was&nbsp;impeached.&nbsp;</p>


Asia wary of Fed rate future, China data disappoints

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;Wall Street is starting to sour on the dollar as President-elect Donald Trump’s policies and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate cuts will likely put pressure on the greenback in the latter portion of 2025.</p>


Dollar’s trump-fuelled gains face a reality check late next year

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) : South Korea’s currency and its stock market will take centre stage on Monday, as investors respond to a weekend vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol following his attempt to impose martial law.</p>


Korean won, stocks take spotlight after impeachment vote

<p>Grab Holdings Ltd’s ability to cut costs and edge out rivals in Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing arena helped push its share performance above global peers this quarter, with some analysts citing further gains ahead.</p>


<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;What was supposed to be a comeback year for Boeing Co. has turned into its worst stock-market plunge since 2008, and if Wall Street is right, the plane-maker’s shares may have only a modest recovery in store in 2025.&nbsp;</p>


Boeing’s year of crisis leaves investors wary of beaten-up stock

<p>TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Dec 16): Bitcoin&nbsp;surged to a record high above US$106,000 (RM471,944) in early Asian trade on Monday, boosted by comments from President-elect Donald Trump that suggested he plans to create a US&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;strategic reserve similar to its strategic oil reserve.</p>


Bitcoin surges above US$106,000 on strategic reserve hopes

<p>The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has assessed Malaysia's current monetary policy stance as appropriate but emphasised that Bank Negara Malaysia has to be ready to tighten policy in 2025 amid inflation risks.</p>


IMF: Malaysia's neutral monetary policy 'appropriate' but brace for inflation risks in 2025

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): TNG Digital Sdn Bhd urges users to verify their TNG eWallet accounts for better security, according to its statement on Monday.</p>


<p>SEOUL (Dec 16):&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean shares climbed on Monday to their highest level in more than two weeks, after parliament impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over the short-lived martial law.</p>


South Korean shares at more than two-week high after president impeached

<p>China's industrial output growth quickened slightly in November, while retail sales disappointed, keeping pressure on Beijing to ramp up stimulus for a fragile economy as it braces for more US trade tariffs under a second Trump administration.</p>


<p>On its website, SD Guthrie Bhd (KL:SDG) prides itself on being one of the world’s largest producers of certified sustainable palm oil. It has also been a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil since 2004.</p>

<p>It had been through the wringer, having to defend itself against allegat...

Frankly Speaking: No small offence

<p>SEOUL (Dec 16): South Korea’s Constitutional Court will begin on Monday reviewing the impeachment of President&nbsp;Yoon&nbsp;Suk Yeol over his Dec&nbsp;3&nbsp;martial law&nbsp;attempt, while investigators said they plan to question him this week.</p>


<p>LONDON (Dec 15): Britain officially became the 12th member of a trans-Pacific trade pact which includes Japan, Australia and Canada on Sunday, as it seeks to deepen ties in the region and build its global trade links after leaving the European Union (EU).</p>


Britain joins trans-Pacific pact in biggest post-Brexit trade deal

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): Umno&nbsp;Supreme Council member Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz stressed that he has not yet made any decision regarding the rumours of him&nbsp;joining PKR.</p>


Zafrul: No decision made to join PKR

<p>TOKYO (Dec 16): Japan’s factory activity shrank for the sixth straight month on lacklustre demand, while the service sector extended gains in December, business surveys showed on Monday, highlighting the economy’s increasing reliance on services.</p>


Japan’s factory activity softens for sixth straight month, PMI shows

<p>PUTRAJAYA (Dec 16): Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, attended&nbsp;an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Complex&nbsp;here on Monday.</p>
